Glossary

Ai

Harmony

Ai hanmi

Both partners have the same foot forward

Aikido

The way of unified energy

Arigato

Thanks

Arigato gozaimasu

Thanks for something going on

Arigato gozaimashita

Thanks for something completed; most polite way of saying thanks

Ashi

Foot

Atemi

Defensive blow to cause Uke to loose balance

Bokken

Wooden practice sword

Budo

The Japanese martial way

Bushido

The way of the warrior

Chikara

Strength

Chudan

Middle compared with jodan and gedan

Do

Way or path

Dojo

Place to train or practice

Dozo

Please

Gedan

Low, compare with jodan and chudan

Gi

Uniform for Aikido practice, shortened from dogi

Go

Five

Gokyo

Fifth pinning technique

Gomen nasai

I am sorry

Gyaku

Opposite

Hachi

Eight

Hai

I agree; yes

Hajime

Begin

Hanmi

Basic standing position

    Ai hanmi

Partners have the same foot forward

    Gyaku hanmi

Partners have opposite feet forward

    Migi hanmi

Right foot forward

    Hidari hanmi

Left foot forward

Hanmi Handachi

Defender seated and attacker standing

Hantai

Opposite

Happo

Eight directions

Hidari

Left

Hiji

Elbow

Ichi

One

Iie

No

Ikkyo

First pinning technique

Irimi

Step off the line of attack, and behind Uke

Jo

Short staff about shoulder high in length

Jo Tori

A jo technique where you take the jo away from the attacker

Jodan

High, compare with chudan and gedan

Ju

Ten

Juji nage

Crossed arms throw; partner's arms are crossed at right angles

Jiyuwaza

Free style techniques

Kaeshi (gaeshi)

Reverse

Kaiten nage

Rotation throw

Kamae

Basic defense standing position

Kanji

Japanese written characters

Kata

Shoulder

Kata

Predetermined sequence of movements used for learning techniques

Katate

One hand grab

Koshi

Hip, back

Kotegaeshi

Wrist turn or twist

Ki

Energy

 

back to top

 

Kohai

A student who started practice after you

Kokyu

Centering with controlled breathing

Kokyu dosa

An exercise to develop your ki/breath power without using strength, often done in a kneeling position

Kokyunage

Breath Throw. A cover-all term used to refer to a series of blending techniques with no common mechanical similarities and also for more unusual techniques without commonly accepted names.

Ku

Nine

Maai

Distance between partners

Mae

Move to the front; move forward

Migi

Right

Mokuso

To meditate

Morotetori

Both; two-hand grab

Nage

Partner leading the movement of the technique

Nana

Seven; also shichi

Ni

Two

Nikkyo

Second pinning technique

Omote

Move forward

Onegai shimasu

Please practice with me

Rei

Bow

Reigi

Proper dojo etiquette

Ritsurei

Standing bow

Roku

Six

Ryo

Both (hands or wrists)

San

Three

Sankyu

Third pinning technique

Shichi

Seven

Seiza

Kneeling seated position

Sempai

Senior student who started practice before you

Sensei

Teacher or instructor

Shi

Four

Shihan

Honorary title awarded to some of the highest ranking teachers; master teacher

Shihonage

Four directions throw

Shikko

Knee walking

Shomen

Front of the dojo where the picture of O'Sensei is

Shomen uchi

Forward strike straight down on the head

Soto

Out or outside, movement outside of Uke's arm

Suwari waza

Techniques done with both Nage and Uke in a kneeling position

Tanto

Wooden practice knife

Te

Hand

Tekubi

Wrist

Tenkan

Turning movement

Tenchi

Heaven and earth

Tenshin

Stepping backwards off the line of attack

Tsuki

Punch to the belt or chest

Uchi

Inside movement, inside or under Uke's arm

Uke

Partner following the movement of the technique

Ukemi

Falling

Ura

Move to the back

Ushiro

From behind

Ushiro Kubishime

Attacking from behind, grabbing one hand and performing a single collar choke with the other hand.

Ushiro Ryokata-tori

Double shoulder grab from behind.

Ushiro Ryokatate-tori

Two handed grab of the wrists from behind

Yame

To end

Yokomen uchi

Diagonal strike to the side of the head

Yonkyo

Fourth pinning technique

Zanshin

Unbroken concentration, the "follow through" of a technique

Zarei

Seated bow

One of many sites you can check for additional definitions is: http://www.stenudd.com/aikido/aikido-glossary.htm